Chumash Museum Will Soon Be a Reality

Chumash Museum will soon be a reality

June 12, 2014•Vincent Armenta/Commentary

It has been nearly 14 years in the making, and now the waiting is over.

We just received word that the Interior Board of Indians Appeals (IBIA) ruled in favor of the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians, and our 6.9 acres will go into federal trust.

This recent decision comes after a nine-year process of remands, dismissals and appeals from local anti-tribal groups that have spent millions of dollars to prevent us from placing this land into federal trust. These delays have hindered our plans to build a museum and cultural center on the property — a museum that would benefit the entire community.

In November 2000, our tribe filed a federal trust application with the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA). In 2005, the BIA approved our application, but a month later, local anti-tribal groups filed an administrative appeal of the BIA’s decision.

In October 2007, a member of one of the anti-tribal groups was quoted in a local newspaper regarding the appeal. He said, “We’ll hold it off forever. It’s not going to happen.” That statement accurately represents the mindset of these individuals, who seem to make it their life’s work to stop any progress our tribe attempts.

In June 2012, when the BIA ruled in our favor for a second time and approved our application to place our 6.9 acres into federal trust, the anti-tribal groups approached the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors and asked it to join them in their appeal of the BIA’s decision.

The Board of Supervisors held a public meeting in July 2012 on the issue of appealing the BIA’s decision. After an emotionally charged meeting and two hours of public comments — which included remarks from tribal leaders, tribal members and community members in favor of the tribe’s plans to build a museum and cultural center on the land — the board voted 3-2 to not appeal the BIA’s decision. Two days later, the anti-tribal groups filed yet another appeal.

In spite of the numerous delays in the past decade, we continued to work on building an impressive collection for our future museum and cultural center.

The museum plans include sections designed to showcase the Chumash ritual life and daily life, as well as areas for traditional medicines, a language lab, dance and music, tribal events, community, rock art and home and family.

What will be so unique about this museum is it will tell the Chumash story using the Chumash voice. As a result, oral histories will be a key component in the museum. When all is said and done, our museum will allow us to effectively communicate our stories through exhibits that engage, inspire and inform.

The recent IBIA decision is one of the most significant our tribe has experienced. In the face of seemingly insurmountable challenges, our tribe continued to fight for what is right and just. And we prevailed.

When our 6.9 acres is in federal trust under the jurisdiction of our tribal government, we can finally build our museum. It will be exciting for the current generation of Santa Ynez Chumash to participate in such an important project in our tribe’s history and create a lasting legacy for future generations.

Vincent Armenta is tribal chairman of the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians.